AJR 38 Assembly Joint Resolution

BILL NUMBER: AJR 38	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 22, 2010

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Members  Arambula  
  and Caballero   Caballero, 
 Fuller,   and Arambula 

                        FEBRUARY 25, 2010

   Relative to public resources.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AJR 38, as amended,  Arambula   Caballero
 . Public resources: Two-Gates Fish Protection Demonstration
Project.
   This measure would request the United States Department of the
Interior to complete its study of  the Sacramento-San Joaquin
Delta through  the Two-Gates Fish Protection Demonstration
Project  in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta  .
   Fiscal committee: no.



   WHEREAS, According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration's Satellite and Information Service, the western
region of the United States  , since 2007, has 
experienced a severe to extreme drought  , decreasing
  from 2007 to 2009, inclusive, which decreased 
water supply by as much as 8 percent; and 
   WHEREAS, During these abnormal times, it is understood that all

    WHEREAS, The  people in the state must do all they
reasonably can to reduce water use and ensure that water is made
available to meet the state's demands in an environmentally conscious
way; and
   WHEREAS, Although all Californians suffer from reduced 
water supply, those that are especially hit are those who live within
  water supply, especially affected may be those who
live in  rural farming communities; and
   WHEREAS,  The   In 2009, the  Westlands
Water District, which serves the western parts of Fresno and Kings
Counties, caused 220,000 acres of land to lie fallow when it reduced
outflow to farm lands to 10 percent, which was a full 15 percent
lower than reductions made in much more severe droughts in the past.
This in turn caused 4,200 jobs tied to that land to be lost 
as well  , causing citizens and workers to join the
ever-growing ranks of the unemployed, according to a study conducted
by the University of California at Davis; and
   WHEREAS, The Legislature is aware that the outflow reductions
 were made in an effort to protect the endangered Delta
smelt, a fish that calls the San Joaquin-Delta water region home.
These reductions came about as a result of a biological opinion
released by the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), which resulted in a
further court decision by a federal district court that restrained
the Central Valley Project (CVP) and State Water Project (SWP) from
withdrawing water that compromises a court mandated minimum of 5,000
cubic feet per second (CFS) in upstream flow for any seven-week
average; and   were made in an effort to protect the
state and federally listed Delta smelt, a fish native to the
Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary.   These reductions
came about as a result of a United States Fish and Wildlife Service
biological opinion that is t   he subject of further legal
challenge in a federal district court; and  
   WHEREAS, Because of the three-year drought and the restrictions
imposed by the biological opinion, the State Water Project water
allocation was just 40 percent of its contracted water supply last
year, and the federal Central Valley Project water allocation was
just 10 percent of its contracted water supply. As of March 30 of
this year, the State Water Project water allocation is just 20
percent, and the water allocation for agriculture served by the
federal Central Valley Project is 30 percent; and  
   WHEREAS, Restrictions imposed on state and federal pumping
facilities to protect the Delta smelt and salmon have been in place
for over a decade, but the decline of these and other species
continues; and 
   WHEREAS, These outflow reductions have produced very 
human consequences. The Western Farm Press reports that farmers have
lost 600,000 acre feet of water since the decision in December,
meaning that 500,000 acres of farmland have been made to lie fallow.
This has caused growers and processors to cut as many as 1,150 jobs
in field-related jobs and 21,000 agricultural jobs in general, with
more likely to occur, producing a 40-percent unemployment rate in
parts of San Joaquin Valley. This has   human
consequences. In 2009, the Western Farm Press reported that farmers
lost 600,000 acre-feet of water because of environmental protections,
meani   ng that 500,000 acres of farmland were made to lie
fallow. This caused growers and processors   to cut as many
as 1,150 field-related jobs and 21,000 general agricultural jobs,
contributing to a 40-percent unemployment rate in parts of San
Joaquin Valley. This has  produced a net economic loss of $1
billion at a time when the state cannot afford to lose income; and
   WHEREAS, Currently,  the FWS is conducting a study
  studies are ongoing  to further investigate the
influences of water pumping on the Delta smelt population; and
   WHEREAS, While there are many projects to be considered, the
Legislature urges expedient consideration of the Two-Gates Fish
Protection Demonstration Project. With $28 million of funding
 for the project allocated as part of Proposition 84, with
the rest of the costs being met by a combination of federal and
private funds, Senate Bill 1 (Chapter 5 of the Seventh Extraordinary
Session of the Statutes of 2009) will provide for an experimental
program that will install gates to prevent the Delta smelt from
coming too close to water pumps; and   for the project
allocated as part of Proposition 84 (Senate Bill 1, chaptered as
Chapter 5 of the Seventh Extraordinary Session of the Statutes of
2009) and the rest of the costs being met by a   combination
of federal and private funds, the project will provide for an
experimental program that will install gates to reduce the loss of
the Delta smelt at the state and fe   deral pumps; and 

   WHEREAS, While information about how the Two-Gates Fish Protection
Demonstration Project will affect  the Delta smelt
is unclear,  it presents the most   the project
presents a viable option to immediately protect an endangered
species and begin to return much needed jobs to rural Californians;
and 
   WHEREAS, Swift action must be taken to protect the Delta smelt and
salmon and to protect the water supply for California's citizens,
businesses, and farms; and 
   WHEREAS, It is important to preserve endangered species, 
and, perhaps more importantly, to conduct studies efficiently and
accurately, removing the need for more studies and more funds the
state is struggling to amass   as well as to conduct
studies efficiently and accurately  , and given the previously
mentioned human tragedy, expediency is of utmost importance in this
matter; now, therefore, be it
   Resolved by the Assembly and the Senate of the State of
California, jointly, That the Legislature requests the United States
Department of the Interior to complete its study of the 
Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta through the  Two-Gates Fish
Protection Demonstration Project  in the Sacramento-San Joaquin
Delta  ; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of
this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.